The Helicopter Parents Are Hovering a Bit Too Close

A parent worrying about and taking an interest in their child's college career is, in theory, not a bad thing. Young adults often do well with a support system, whether it's from their parents, other family members, or close friends. And while it is probably dangerous for a parent to take a laissez-faire approach with their child, some could argue that it's just as dangerous to be over-involved as well.

In the Information Center at the Seymour Union at Brockport, the girl behind the desk told me that she sometimes receives calls from people who can undoubtedly be described as helicopter parents. These parents will often call with a massive number of questions, many of which are things that their child should probably know how to figure out themselves. She wondered why it is that the kids can't take the initiative and ask these questions themselves.

It may be dangerous for parents to do things like this for their children too often. Yes, it is a great thing to offer help and support to one's child, but if a parent goes too far with this, it may leave the student with less knowledge on how to get through real-life situations. After all, how would one know how to do anything if their parents already accomplished everything that they needed to worry about in the first place?

Of course, this isn't to say that parents keeping a close eye on their child is necessarily a bad thing. On the contrary, it can be a great thing for a child who needs to learn how to be responsible and act like a respectable adult. But hovering too closely to a child can lead to them not learning the life lessons that they should be finding out themselves with the out-of-class experiences they gather through their years of college.